Brain stem

• The part of the brain that

connects between the
cerebrum and diencephalon
with the spinal cord
• Consists from above
downward of midbrain ,pons
and medulla oblongata.
oblongata It
continues downward as spinal
cord.
• The cerebellum projected
dorsally from the brainstem.
 Brain stem
• The brain stem also consists of grey and white mater like the
spinal cord consists of fibers ascending or descending and
nuclei.
• It is the first part of brainstem that connects the cerebrum
and diencephalon to the pons,it lies in the posterior cranial
fossa,it is shorter than the other two parts of brainstem.
 Midbrain
• Dorsally there are two pairs of low rounded
eminences,the superior and inferior colliculi
 Midbrain
• The superior colliculus contains cells
concerned with general light reflexes The
superior colliculus receives input impulses
from the retina
• while the inferior colliculus is concerned with
the sound reflexes. the inferior colliculus
receives from the cochlea
• and then they project to the motor nuclei of
cranial and spinal nerves for reflex
movements of the eyes,head,body and limbs
toward or away from the light or sound
stimuli
 Pons
• Large transverse mass
between the midbrain
above and medulla
oblongata below.
• The ventral surface of pons
shows midline shallow
groove with a bulge on each
side due to the underlying
mass of pontine nuclei.
 Medulla oblongata

• Lies between the pons and the

spinal cord and it extends through
the foramen magnum to the level of
atlas .
• Ventrally the upper part of medulla
is deeply grooved in the midline
with a bold convexity on either side
forming the pyramid due to the
contained corticospinal tract
• lateral to the pyramid is another
convexity called the olive,due to the
underlying inferior olivary nucleus .
• The 6th,7th,and 8th cranial nerves
emerge between the pons and
medulla …facial nerve between
the pons and pyramid .
• The rootlets of the 9th ,10th,and
cranial part of the 11th nerve
emerge lateral to the olive
• While the 12th cranial nerve
rootlets emerge between
pyramid and olive.
 Reticular formation
• Irrigular mass of cells and fibers
occupying much of the area between the
inferior olivary nucleus and the floor of
the fourth ventricle ,it is intermingled
with other cell groups and tracts .
• Reticular formation is anatomically
non demonstrable as distinct nuclei.
• Functionally associated with
vasoconstrictor,cardiopressor,cardioacce
lerator, inspiratory and expiratory
effects.
• The brain stem reticular formation
responsible for the “alert” or
“wakeful”status of conciousness.
• It has many central connections that may
affect or regulate many functions with
thalamus ,hypothalamus and cerebral
cortex.